Kleenex
by spacecadet777
Summary: Kylo needs a kleenex. And Phasma takes a break, and I apologize for the lack of punctuation. Again. Redone with punctuation


AU where Kleenex exists. Disney's crayon book and crayons. I'm just coloring a page. Any similarities between Kleenex and the product Kleenex are purely coincidental, and a product of my vivid imagination.

On the Finalizer one bright cheery day (bright and cheery for those who made it through Starkiller without losing someone they knew), General Hux and Kylo Ren were standing on the bridge of the ship. They were awaiting a message from Supreme Leader Snoke as to where they were supposed to be meeting him. Usually when Snoke speaks to his two-major people, he does it in a hologram form. But something caused Snoke himself to have to leave his castle and he requested that his first order lackeys to another planet in the galaxy.

While they were standing on the bridge, things were operating smoothly and for once in the entire time that Ren knew Hux he didn't have the insane urge to bash his head into the nearest support beam. Or the urge to do other things that he has wanted to do for years. Kylo was feeling peaceful for the moment. Melancholy even. The death of his father on Starkiller was affecting him more than he was letting on.

"You are unusually quiet this morning, Ren." Hux noted.

"It's a quiet morning, Hux". Ren replied.

Officers and crew were going about doing their usual tasks, reports were being filed. Things were going smoothly. The ship was given their destination as Coruscant and they were on the way.

A few moments later Captain Phasma came up to the two and handed Kylo Ren an envelope.

"What's this?" The darksider asked.

"A card. Everyone who lost a family member on Starkiller is getting one. You are on the list. The list doesn't say who you lost, just that you lost someone."

Ren opened the card. It was a simple sympathy card. Inside the card were the signatures of a lot of people. Hux's signature and Phasma's were included. He put the card back in the envelope.

"Thank you for the card". Kylo said simply. he didn't need to over emote over this. Something in the back of his mind reminded him that even a small gesture such as this makes a difference. He knew that there were always cards to be signed nowadays. He himself had signed a few. Not knowing who he was signing for, but he had felt slightly less pain knowing that there were others that had a similar sense of loss. True, no one would ever know his particular sense of the subject, but he knew that there were people that had lost parents on Starkiller.

Kylo Ren then turned on his heel and walked off the bridge. He decided he had enough civility for a little while and needed to be alone. So, he went to his quarters. Finding no solace there, he decided to go to the main hangar. Ren had a spot where he would watch the fighters take off and land and tether. He had chosen this spot when he first made it on the ship and was exploring the area. He often went there when he had an issue that he needed to work out himself.

He was watching the fighters when Phasma found him. Tears had streaked his face when she discovered a foot in behind one of the tall stacks of supply crates that had been in a corner of the bay. She followed the foot to find him.

Without a word, Phasma sat on the floor next to him. They sat in silence for a while. every few minutes Phasma had to adjust a piece of her armor, or remove it to allow her to move in the cramped quarters, but she didn't complain

"Often wondered just what you find so interesting over here." Phasma said.

"You knew of this place?" Kylo said as Phasma removed her helmet and regarded him.

"You aren't that mysterious to me, Mr. Big Bad Knight of Ren. I knew that this was one of your hidey holes since you came on board. I'm just kind of surprised you would pick this place at this time."

"I didn't want to be alone, but I did? I don't know. I went to my quarters, tried to meditate, talked to my grandfather's helmet for a few minutes, but nothing worked."

"Sometimes you need to be around people, even when you want to be alone. There's nothing wrong with that. It's not weakness. It's normal and you're human." Phasma reasoned. You suffered a tremendous loss. I can imagine you chose this place because of the ships, pilots, and considering who your father was it's no surprise."

Ren had to admit she was right. She sat there watching the activity there and reached under her cape to produce a packet of Kleenex. She handed the packet to Ren. Kylo looked at the purple and gold package and opened it. He took one of the tissues out and handed it back

"Keep it," Phasma said, holding her hand up. "I always carry 2 packs." Showing him the second package she stashed which was blue, green and gold. She then put her tissues away and folded her cape back over her shoulder as she always has it. "Someone may need a Kleenex someday." She then looked at her chronometer, and sighed.

"Time to go back to work. Got to assemble the troops. Don't worry. I won't tell Hux where you're at." Phasma had collected her armor that she removed and replaced it. It was unusual for her to remove any of her armor, let alone her mask while she was on duty, but Kylo needed to see a face behind the mask, so she had removed that when she sat down.

"Just pay the Kleenex forward. You never know when someone may need one." She said as she walked off towards a group of troopers that were congregating. She started barking orders to the group and they almost dropped what they had in their hands in the effort to comply.

A couple of days later a cold had started to run its way through the ship. It seemed no one was immune. Mitaka was sneezing. Phasma had mentioned a record number of troopers were on sick call. The ships pharmacy was running out of cold medicine. The ships stores had long since run out of daytime cold medicine and was almost sold out of the night time, and there were cautionary messages all over the ship to wash one's hands and prevent the spread of this disease.

Our three employees of the resistance's public enemy number one were standing on the bridge as they usually do when Hux had started a chain of sneezes. The first came. "Bless you." Someone had said. The second one. The third one.

Kylo pulled out his package of tissues and handed them to Hux. "Bless you," he said as he handed him the package. Hux took one tissue out and handed him back the pack.

"Keep it, he said. I always carry a spare". He said and turned away. patting his left shoulder as he did so. Leaving Hux shocked and Phasma smiling under her mask.


End file.
